British Bad Boys

I'm a big fan of Nancy Warren's Harlequin novels. I've enjoyed her books for Brava to varying degrees. British Bad Boys falls right in the middle: 3 out of 5.

George and the Dragon Lady
George Hartley is high on the list of England's most eligible bachelors: he's young, single, gorgeous--and, as the 19th Earl of Ponsford, lives in a castle. Granted, the castle has seen better days . . . but nights with the Earl are what LA TV producer Maxine Larraby keeps thinking about . . .

Nights Round Arthur's Table
Seattle thriller author Meg Stanton desperately needs a quiet place to work. Stag Cottage in the English countryside is perfect . . . until she meets local pub owner Arthur Denby. He's as dark and brooding as one of her imaginary villains, and Meg always falls for her villains. But there's nothing imaginary about the things Arthur does to her after last call . . .

Union Jack
Former head chef and current love cynic Rachel Larraby can't believe she got dragged across the pond for a catering job. Weddings--ugh, she's had enough personal experience, thanks. And though perennial best man Jack Flynt is quite smashing, she can keep it to just a steamy fling. Until this very bad bloke starts looking at her with those forever eyes . . .

The premise is an interesting one, and I looked forward to reading this book. What I discovered is a good read that could have been better if each story had been longer. All three stories feature a British hero and American heroine who meet each other for the first time in the story. Warren does a terrific job of showing the physical chemistry the characters share, but the depth in the relationships isn't entirely believable.

In the first story, for instance, one passage summarizes the discussion between George and Maxine where they talk about their pasts, their emotions, etc. The summary keeps the novella short, but I found myself wishing these conversations could have been included rather than merely mentioned. It lessened the impact and left me wanting more.

I had similar feelings about the other two stories. They were good, but lacking the depth I love in Warren's longer work. "Union Jack" is my favorite of the three stories, partly because of its pitch-perfect ending.